The Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014 requires that local authorities and local health boards must jointly carry out a population needs assessment (PNA) of the needs for care and support, and the support needs of carers in the local authority areas. Care and support is in relation to people known to social services and those supported through preventative services. The PNA consists of two sections:
- Assessing the extent to which there are people or their carers who need care and support and the extent to which they need support
- Assessing the range and level of services required for the care and support needs of the population, their carers, to prevent needs arising and escalating, and the actions required to provide services in Welsh
The first population assessment was published in April 2017. The RPB subsequently published a regional joint action plan in April 2018 setting out how the priorities identified in the PNA were to be addressed. The benefits expected are more opportunities for regional working, joint commissioning and maximising of resources.
The RPB have developed the second PNA for Gwent and citizens and partners were invited to provide comments on the highlighted need and emerging priorities. The consultation closed on 28th February 2022 and comments were used to develop the final PNA which was agreed and signed off by the RPB, local authorities and ABUHB. We welcomed views in relation to:
- Identified need - have we go this right?
- Emerging priorities - do you agree with these?
- Voice of the citizen - have we evidenced Gwent citizen's needs?